FLAP Retrospective Activity

Your team is struggling with their Sprints? Are you worried they’re not making enough progress? If so, then you may need to reevaluate your retrospective methodologies and tools.

The FLAP retrospective is a popular Sprint retrospective tool that teams can use to help identify and address issues that may have arisen during the previous Sprint. It was developed to provide a more structured and organized approach to retrospectives.

The approach is an engaging and unique method to get the team involved in determining which risks and action items are essential.

What is the FLAP retrospective?

FLAP is a simple and easy way for the team to do a Sprint retrospective. It can be done individually, in pairs, or in groups.

The FLAP retrospective aims to help teams identify and address any issues that may have arisen during the previous Sprint so that they can be addressed and resolved in future Sprints.

It is an acronym for Future Considerations, Lessons Learned, Accomplishments, and Problem Areas. This retrospective is meant to be used at the end of a Sprint to evaluate considerations for future Sprints which can boost team morale and productivity.

Why is it useful?

The FLAP retrospective is useful because it allows the team to consider all aspects of the Sprint, not just what went well or what didn't. It can also help surface any risks that may have been overlooked and need to be addressed in future Sprints.

This approach is handy in brainstorming action items and solutions for future Sprints and projects. It enables everyone to have a voice and see what best practices can be adapted moving forward.

When should you use the FLAP retrospective?

The right timing in using the FLAP retrospective is when your team is:

• Brainstorming and completing their Sprint Goal
• Meeting their Definition of Done
• Feeling like their retrospectives are unproductive
• Having a lack of transparency in work
• Having difficulty receiving and giving feedback with regards to their work performance

Struggling in any of these areas can lead to low morale and motivation, so the FLAP retrospective may be a good option to try out to get the team back on track.

How do you use the FLAP retrospective?

When using the FLAP retrospective, it is important to be guided by its elements.

With this, each point is elaborated to help the team understand their work better and plan for future Sprints:

1. F: Future considerations – The team should focus on what they want to achieve in the next Sprint. The team can do this by setting goals and objectives to reach in the future.
2. L: Lessons Learned – It is important for the team to learn from their mistakes to avoid repeating them. The team should take time to reflect on what went wrong and how they can prevent it from happening again.
3. A: Accomplishments – The team should also take some time to celebrate their accomplishments, no matter how small. This can help boost morale and motivate the team to do even better in the next Sprint.
4. P: Problems – The team should identify any problems that need to be addressed to improve their work. Then, the team can brainstorm possible solutions and decide which ones to implement.

Other things to consider for the FLAP Retrospective

In using the FLAP retrospective, teams should also consider the following points:

• Set a timeframe – It is important to set a timeframe for the retrospective so that the team can focus on the task at hand. Teams can do this by setting a timer for each activity.
• Have a facilitator – Having a facilitator can help keep the team focused and on track.
• Use visual aids – Visual aids, such as a whiteboard or flipchart, can help the scrum team brainstorm and organize their thoughts.
• Keep it positive – It is vital to keep the retrospective positive so the team can stay motivated. This can be done by focusing on the future and what the team can accomplish.

Final thoughts

If you want to try out a different retrospective tool, FLAP may be a good option for you as this can help to evaluate your team's work and progress.

Through this tool, you can secure the future directions of your team by highlighting areas of innovation, change, and experiments they might wish to do to improve their work. It is also an excellent way to praise and recognize their hard work and achievements, encouraging them to keep up the good work in future Sprints.

FLAP retrospective is an excellent way to help your team learn and grow together as it provides a structured format for reflection and brainstorming. You can combine this with a retrospective tool like GoRetro to efficiently run your retrospectives with ease. With these tools, your team can collaborate and work their way to more productive and successful Sprints!